How can you measure the social impact of cross-functional collaborations?

As a Leader in Digital Transformations, I underscore the pivotal role of establishing a robust impact framework to measure the social impact of cross-functional collaborations in healthcare. The impact framework, comprising principles, indicators, and methods, guides systematic data collection, analysis, and reporting. Aligning it with the collaboration's vision, mission, and objectives, as well as stakeholder needs, is crucial for meaningful outcomes. In the intricate landscape of healthcare collaborations, considering the number and diversity of partners, scope, scale, and potential unintended effects is vital. This nuanced approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of the collaboration's social impact.

Note that all the advice in this article is useful, commonsensical and important to follow, BUT, none of it is specific neither to cross-functional activities nor to social impact, rather than impact in general. Here is an example of one specific point to consider. Say the cross-functional collaboration is a tech-education program for socially disadvantaged youth, involving social workers and teachers. The challenge in measuring impact of the collaboration, is that you want to measure the added value of the COLLABORATION rather than simply the accumulated impact of the two functions involved. The hypothetical question to ask is what was achieved by dint of their working together, beyond what they would have achieved separately.

Who is the end-user? Who will ultimately benefit from the intervention you propose? These communities, groups, organizations and individuals have to be part of the definition process.

Gathering people around a common place of community, where stories can be shared. This cultivates trust. My favorite gathering place is around a campfire or warming fire. Better yet with s'mores. S'mores are a great metaphor of collaboration. The campfire is a place where people easily collaborate while many differences may be held by those enjoying warmth and shared stories.

1. Define social impact: It's critical to establish the meaning of social impact within your organisation before assessing the social impact of cross-functional partnerships. Metrics like higher involvement, or lower conflict could be part of it. 2. Identify stakeholders: List all parties with an interest in the partnership, including staff, customers, and locals. 3. Establish explicit goals and objectives: Establish specific goals and objectives for the partnerships, such as raising funds for charities or joining forces with nearby nonprofits. 4. Gather and examine data: Gather and examine pertinent data, such as website traffic, social media mentions, or consumer surveys, to gauge the effectiveness of the partnerships.

A meeting I attended years ago exemplified the common mistake of defining social impact (and corresponding metrics) without consulting with the intended beneficiaries. 25 managers of key functions in a municipality were discussing - in total good faith - measures to improve educational results of an under-privileged community in their city. The mayor gave full support to all ideas, but watching the body language of the 2 representatives of the community present, it was evident that all this was totally at odds with their customs and values. They only kept silent so as not to seem ungrateful. Their relief was palpable when I proposed to the mayor that a team be set up with them to vet the ideas before proceeding. Most were duly discarded.

Carbon Emissions Reduction: Measure the reduction in CO2 emissions resulting from the adoption of electric vehicles or other low-emission transportation modes. Energy Efficiency: Track the energy consumption per passenger mile or per vehicle in different transportation modes to assess efficiency improvements.

Be sure to look at metrics in relationship to: - Data - How many people you impacted? - Time - How long will this impact the community? - Ease - How have people's lives improved as a result of your impact? What are measurable goals in the near term, and what are measurable goals further down the timeline? Being data-driven and data-oriented is key.

Learn to differentiate between look-good-metrics (that looks good in annual reports, press releases etc) and doing-good-metrics (the actual impact) Again, the ultimate end-users have to be present when the metrics are defined. Also, try to avoid the trap of not measuring long enough. Social impact takes time.

The metrics are the make up the gathering, stories shared, and reported actions taken as a result of what is shared. Evaluating these metrics takes personal conversations.

- Measure longer than you think. - Collect data from second tier sources* - Involve the ultimate end-users in finding data sources that gives you the doing-good-metrics. * If you’re trying to impact reading comprehension, look at numbers of books borrowed at the library. Compare to number of audio books- and if that number changes over time.

- Measure the energy efficiency of EV batteries in terms of kWh/mile or kWh/km. - Track the efficiency of different charging methods (fast charging, slow charging) in delivering energy to the EV. - Calculate the reduction in CO2 emissions compared to internal combustion engine vehicles based on the electricity generation mix and the efficiency of EVs.

The most effective metrics of impact are realized through interviews. The second is through focus groups. The third is through surveys.

This takes thoughtful integration of interviews, focus groups and survey data to begin to see the trends. Steve Patty developed good work around effective evaluations and measuring impact.

- Demonstrate changes in commuting behaviors, such as increased use of public transit, biking, or shared mobility options compared to personal vehicles. - Provide evidence of reduced congestion or improved traffic flow in urban areas due to the implementation of alternative transportation modes or infrastructure improvements. - Showcase cost savings achieved by users or businesses through the adoption of more efficient transportation options compared to traditional modes. - Highlight the economic benefits, including job creation within the mobility sector and related industries.

In my experience, measuring the social impact of cross-functional collaborations involves tracking both quantitative and qualitative outcomes. For instance, in a project combining marketing and sustainability teams, I'd assess the increase in brand awareness alongside the reduction in environmental footprint. Reporting these findings, I'd use clear visuals like infographics showing the growth in customer engagement and charts depicting sustainability metrics. This dual-focus approach not only highlights the collaborative success but also underscores our commitment to both business growth and corporate responsibility. It's a powerful way to demonstrate how cross-functional efforts can drive significant, multifaceted social impact.

Info graphics And short stories bring the main lessons and insights to the forefront best. Work very hard to focus reporting on the most important messages.

Are previously underrepresented voices now systematically represented as part of a new path to achieve structural change? Is there shared ownership and personal investment in the outcomes? In my experience, these are prerequisites to meaningful impact.

Cross-functional collaboration actually starts outside the organization-- hiring from outside your industry. Inter-industry mobility of the workforce is the very 'engine' of innovation (and thereby the 'lifeblood' of regional economies), because innovation cognitively takes place by recognizing adjacencies from an 'externality' of perspective (abstract frame of conceptualization). So, contrary to affinity bias that has plagued 'traditional' 'like-industry' hiring practices for years, diversity of industry experience being valued much higher than it has in the past must be elevated to 'job one' priority in any organization's change management strategy.

Building out case studies from your impact is an important thing to consider in relationship to what has been done, but what can also have been done better. For example, how could you have been more sustainable, or less wasteful? What are ways that planning could have been better in hindsight? Always work on impacting your philanthropy for the better. The same can be said not just for philanthropy, but for almost any management strategy.

When evaluating the social impact of cross-functional collaboration, organizations must recognize that not every solution is universally applicable, especially in diverse global regions. Emphasizing the importance of data in this context is crucial. For instance, Apple Inc. serves as a notable example, successfully implementing region-specific clean energy initiatives across North America, Asia, and Europe. Their commitment to understanding local environmental challenges through research and partnerships has propelled Apple to achieve 100% clean energy powering their assets.